THE SOUTH by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 13, 1876

THE SOUTH.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

June 21, I came to Carolina Co., on the east shore of Maryland, across the Chesapeake bay from Baltimore. Five families of Sabbath-keepers have lately moved here, most of them from New York. They held their Sabbath meetings, and took the lead in the Sunday-school of the district, Bro. Stubbins being chosen superintendent. He also spoke in the school-house a few times. The people appeared friendly and willing to hear.

We organized a church of eleven members, and Bro. W. W. Stubbins was elected and ordained elder. Then we celebrated the ordinances, this being the first time some of them had had that privilege for five years, though living in an organized church, regularly visited many times by the President of the Conference and by different ministers. It seems to me that it must be displeasing to God and an injury to the church to have this divinely appointed ordinance so slighted and neglected.

We organized Systematic Benevolence amounting to $93, which will be paid to the General Conference. We also organized a T. & M. Society. They wish to join the New England Society. As there was a school-house near by, and no other meetings, I began lectures there the same evening I came, and continued eleven days, speaking fifteen times. It happened to be the very busiest week in all the year, as it was in the midst of harvest, corn plowing, berry-picking, etc. The evenings were very short, and the weather very hot. Yet I had a good turnout, the house being full every night except one, when it rained. Some walked three miles carrying their children. Sundays the house would not hold the people. We took out the door and all the windows, and carriages were placed round the house for seats, while many stood up wherever they could see. Under these circumstances, the heat made it very uncomfortable. Sometimes I was nearly as wet as though I had been immersed.

I could not ask for better order and attention. The people are very respectful and quiet. All, old and young, both professors and non-professors, always kneel at prayer. This is so wherever I have been in this State. I think it is highly commendable. One drawback here, as in all the South, is the inability of the people to read. About one-half, as nearly as I can judge, are not able to read, and most of the others read but little. Hence books go slowly. Besides, the people are afraid to act upon what clearly appears to be the truth, for fear that they are being deceived. Yet, on the whole, they receive the truth as readily as at the North, if not more so.

At my last meeting, I called a vote to see how many believed that the seventh day was the Sabbath, when over half the audience arose. Then I asked how many would keep it, when about a dozen arose besides our brethren. But Satan rules here as elsewhere. Some became very mad, and threatened terrible things to the members of their families who want to obey God. Others call us false prophets; others say we do not preach Christ, we have come to make division, to get up another sect, etc. One man is said to be crazy. So, on the whole, we have made quite a stir among the people. Bro. Stubbins will follow up the interest as far as possible.

I would ask no better field for a mission than upon this peninsula. A tent would stir things here greatly. The people are quiet, very moral, and know nothing whatever of the truth. They have comfortable homes and plenty to eat, though mostly in very moderate circumstances. There is little moving here. The Methodist is about the only church here. The climate is warm and the soil mostly sand and the timber pine. Yet with proper cultivation, heavy crops of wheat, corn, and hay are raised. As to fruit, I never saw the like. Cherries are so abundant that they are public property, and of all kinds of berries there is no end. Whoever buys canned peaches will remember that most of them come from this vicinity. There could not well be a better soil for gardening. Of course the winters are very short and mild.

This peninsula, comprising Delaware, East Maryland, and a part of Virginia, is bounded on the west by Chesapeake bay, and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. It has short and easy communication, both by land and water, with all the great cities of this coast from Boston to Richmond.

We now have two organized churches in Maryland, with about $250 s. b. per year pledged to the General Conference. They earnestly desire help here as soon as consistent.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

July 4, 1876.